Very
jumpy, jerky issue...but I think I can see a pattern coming together with this
miniseries. Hopefully, next issue will answer a few more questions.

8. Future’s
End: Harley Quinn #1 (DC, 2014) ***½

Writers:
Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner/Artist: Chad Hardin

OOOOOH!
A 3D, lenticular cover and lots of gratuitous bikini shots of Harley. That was
$5.40 well-spent!

9. Original
Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm #5 (Marvel, 2014) ***

Writers:
Jason Aaron & Al Ewing/Artists: various

So
Angela is Thor’s sister. I worked that out in issue one. A ho-hum end to a
less-than-impressive, patchily written and drawn miniseries.

10. Guardians
Of The Galaxy #19 (Marvel, 2014) ***½

Writer:
Brian Michael Bendis/Artists: Ed McGuinness & friends

This Original Sin tie-in is actually pretty
entertaining. A hogtied Star-Lord continues his story to Gamora about how he
and Thanos escaped the Cancerverse, and the final fate of Richard “Nova”
Rider”.

Very
ordinary serial killer/slasher mystery series that doesn’t really go anywhere
and ends abruptly. Oooooh, teenage bullies rape a chick, so her nutcase
daughter seeks revenge 20 years later. Yawn! The last issue feels rushed, with
a dreaded replacement artist, House, totally destroying the atmosphere built up
by DiBari’s creepy artwork in the first three issues. The writing is pedestrian
– I think Image needs to walk away from the serial killer theme for a while.
That well is now empty.

Batgirl
for Gen Me in the twenty-teens? This could be fun, especially with subjects
like revenge porn websites getting a run in the revamped series.

40. Adventures
Of Superman #17 (DC, 2014) ***¾

Writers:
various/Artists: various

The
final issue of this old-school take on Superman is lovely – shame the series
has been axed. Great to see some lovely Steve Rude art, topped by a classic
cover of him teaming with Jack Kirby’s OMAC.

Probably
the pick of the Original Sin spin-off
stories. At least it was a revelation that resolves a long-standing dangling
plot line.

42.-43. The
Field #3-4 (Image, 2014) ***½

Writer:
Ed Brisson/Artist: Simon Roy

Bloody
time paradoxes! They’ll get ya every time!

44. Marvel
75th Anniversary Celebration #1 (Marvel, 2014) ****½

Gorgeous
art, lovely stories. A fun read, topped off by an excellent Alex Ross cover.
Bruce Timm’s artwork on Stan Lee’s first-ever yarn (a Captain America short
story from 1941) is a gem. Most of exciting of all is a new Alias yarn by
Bendis and Gaydos that hints at Jessica Cage’s imminent return as a super-powered
PI. I welcome that move!

45.-47. Southern
Bastards #3-5 (Image, 2014) ****

Writer:
Jason Aaron/Artist: Jason Latour

What a
bunch of magnificent bastards. My favourite new ongoing series.

48. Death
Rattle #5 (Kitchen Sink, 1986) ***

Writer/artists:
various

A mixed
bag of a horror anthology. The early 50s Basil Wolverton reprint of “Robot
Woman” is a clear highlight.

49.-52. Jupiter’s
Legacy #1-4 (Image, 2013-14) ****

Writer:
Mark Millar/Artist: Frank Quitely

Of
course, I was asking for trouble with these procrastinating creators. Four
issues in 13 months, then nothing since March. Will there ever be a #5? Probably
not. Pity.

53. Men
Of Wrath #1 (Icon, 2014) ***¾

Writer:
Jason Aaron/Artist: Ron Garney

I didn’t
think Aaron could write about any bigger bastards than the ones in Southern
Bastards. I was wrong. There are some baaaaad bastards in this new series.

54.-56. Deadly
Class #6-8 (Image, 2014) ***½

Writer:
Rick Remender/Artist: Wes Craig

57. The
Human Fly #1 (Marvel, 1977) **½

Writer:
Bill Mantlo/Artist: Le Elias

58. Charlton
Premiere #1 (Charlton, 1967) *

Writers/artists:
various

I only
got this mediocre new superhero showcase for Grass Green’s art on “The Shape”, and
even that is a letdown compared to his later work.

#6 was strange,
with She-Hulk just letting a fascinating mystery slip through her fingers after
she and her staff were nearly killed researching the case. I assume Soule will
return to this dangling plotline at a later date. The new storyline about Steve
“Captain America” Rogers on civil trial for a 70-year-old murder, with Matt “Daredevil”
Murdoch as the prosecuting attorney, is a return to form, and #9 ends on a cool
cliffhanger. Can’t wait for the next issue.

66. 13
Coins #1 (Titan, 2014) **

Writers:
Martin Brennan & Michael B. Jackson/Artist: Simon Bisley

You
know this supernatural horror yarn is all about the artwork when Bisley’s name
is listed ahead of the two writers on the cover. That said, his
not-his-finest-effort artwork is still head and shoulders the best thing about
this by-the-numbers comic. Overall, a bit of a yawn.

67.-69. Protectors
Inc. #7-9 (Image, 2014) ***¼

Writer:
J. Michael Straczynski/Artists: Gordon Purcell & Andrew Pepoy

JMS is
weaving a compelling Powers-like murder thriller and I look forward to the
series’ conclusion next issue. But Purcell’s art? Goddamn – it’s fucking
horrible.

70.-74. Ballistic
#1-5 (Black Mask, 2013-14) ***

Writer:
Adam Egypt Mortimer/Artist: Darick Robertson

Cronenberg
meets William Burroughs. I have no idea what this series was on about, but it
was an insane trip.

Knowing
Hill, I didn’t expect a happy ending to this excellent series, and we didn’t
get one...not quite. Bode’s return from the grave felt like a cop-out at first.
Then again, the Locke family have gone through so much pain and anguish during
this series that I can forgive Hill this one indulgence. All in all, a very
satisfying – if bittersweet – end to an excellent series.

82. Nowhere
Men #6 (Image, 2013) ***½

Writer:
Eric Stephenson/Artist: Nate Bellegarde

Scientists
as rock stars? What a fascinating concept. I enjoyed this unique take on the
Beatles, but somehow forgot to read the final issue. I’ve rectified that
oversight now.

83. Trees
#2 (Image, 2014) **

Writer:
Warren Ellis/Artist: Jason Howard

Proof
positive that not everything Ellis writes is good. This is just dull.

84. Monster
Menace #1 (Marvel, 1993) **½

Writers/artists:
various

A
reprint of classic 50s monster tales with art by Kirby, Ditko, etc, plus a new
Kyle Baker cover.

Sad to
see Ellis leave this new series (not surprised, but sad all the same). But Wood
seems to have picked up the reins nicely, keeping Ellis’s reinvention of the
schizophrenic superhero going, but adding a few little twists and making the
series ongoing rather than stand-alone tales. I’ll stick with this title a
while longer.

92. Velvet
#6 (Image, 2014) ***¾

Writer:
Ed Brubaker/Artist: Steve Epting

93. Duostar
Racers #1 (IDW, 2008) *

Writer/artist:
Ashley Wood

Is
there anyone more pretentious than this Aussie “artist”? Nice drawings, mate,
but not great. Crap writer. And has he ever finished ANYTHING? This was
supposed to be the first of a two-part series about drug-crazed illegal racing
drivers. Where’s part two, ya lazy cunt?! Too busy creating and selling
uber-expensive dollies in Singapore, eh?

94. Cap’n
Dinosaur (Image, 2014) ***½

Writer:
Kek-W/Artist: Shaky Kane

I have
no idea how these one-shots get off the ground and who buys them...but I’m glad
they’re out there. Insane mash-ups/“tributes” to classic 50s and 60s superhero
and horror comics. I dig them.

Beautifully
drawn-but-confusing tale set simultaneously in the past, present and future. It’s
about cancer and immortality. Beyond that, I have no real idea. Apparently, it
got turned into a film. Did anyone see it?